Hemmings Bakers Hill

Creating a Home That Feels Built to Stay

This project responds directly to a client brief seeking a spacious, practical four-bedroom family home for a large six-acre rural lifestyle block. The clients were clear in their priorities: generous living areas, seamless indoor-outdoor connections and a home that felt permanent and grounded, avoiding the elevated or “temporary” appearance often associated with modular construction.

The standout innovation of the project is its entirely submerged modular structure. Unlike conventional modular homes, which are typically finished around 500mm above ground on stumps or piers, this design achieves a concrete slab that sits flush with the finished ground level. This major departure from standard practice allows the home to blend seamlessly with the site, creating the visual permanence of a traditional build while retaining the benefits of modular construction – speed, quality control and reduced site impact.

Delivering this required overcoming several significant challenges. Precise site excavation and levelling were critical to achieve a perfectly flat, slab-to-ground outcome. Transporting and installing the lowered modules demanded careful planning and specialist sequencing to maintain structural integrity and ensure waterproofing at the lowered interface. These complexities were met successfully, resulting in a home that sits confidently within its rural setting.

Integrating Landscape, Material and Performance

Material selection was key to achieving both durability and aesthetic appeal. A thoughtful combination of COLORBOND steel cladding for long-term, low-maintenance performance, warm Iron Ash timber accents and clean fibre cement panels creates a contemporary rural aesthetic that harmonises with the Bakers Hill landscape. The palette balances texture, warmth and modernity while remaining highly practical for a family lifestyle.

Environmentally, the ground-hugging design enhances thermal mass and energy efficiency compared to typical elevated modular homes. By integrating the structure with the landscape rather than elevating it, the home maximises passive performance, reducing energy demand and enhancing occupant comfort.

This project demonstrates how innovative modular solutions can transcend traditional expectations, delivering a home that is visually grounded, site-responsive and functionally suited to rural family living while pushing the boundaries of modular construction techniques.